The Spectrum Vol.69 No.37

VOL. 69 NO. 37 | MARCH 5, 2020

Biden takes lead after ‘Super Tuesday,’ Sanders supporters say they need to ‘fight harder’

UBSPECTRUM

THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO, SINCE 1950

Grad student reconditions thrifted clothing, expresses self-discovery through work

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Dyaisha Fair shines on young Bulls team

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UB student returns to campus from Italy without COVID-19 screening or quarantine, UB taking precautions against coronavirus ELIZABETH NAPOLITANO ASST. NEWS EDITOR

When Gabriella Galizia* returned from her UB study abroad trip to Italy on Friday, no one at JFK screened her for the coronavirus or put her in quarantine.

“I flew into JFK and there was no temperature screening,” Galizia said. “There was nothing and that surprised me. It was actually scary. Like I actually would’ve wanted to be screened.”

On Tuesday, she returned to campus.

And on Wednesday afternoon, the Erie County Department of Health recommended Galizia “self-isolate” but did not mandate it or check to see that she did, Galizia said. UB, she said, did not contact her about quarantine.

In Florence, she said she lived “two minutes” from a hospital treating a coronavirus patient.

Galizia had been studying in Italy on a UB program and came home on Friday, five days before SUNY decided to bring faculty and students back from programs in Italy, where coronavirus has infected 3,089 people and killed 107. SUNY also is bringing students home from programs in Japan and Korea.

At least one other student came back early from Italy, but the student did not respond to requests for comment or offer details about their experience. Weber, when asked about how UB is dealing with

students like Galizia, said UB is following all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention protocols/guidelines at this time. He said UB is working closely with the ECDOH to use appropriate screening guidelines and encourages students to contact health services if they have a concern.

The ten other UB students who had been studying with Galizia are now planning to return home, but SUNY has not announced when or how they will arrive.

In a campus-wide email Wednesday, Weber and Interim Vice President for Student Life Christina Hernandez wrote, “Following the guidance of New York State Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the State University of New York (SUNY), the University at Buffalo has directed our students who are studying abroad in countries impacted by COVID-19 to return to the U.S.” Governor Andrew Cuomo’s office announced Wednesday that students returning from those programs would be quarantined for two weeks. The Spectrum couldn’t verify who would pay for the return flights and the room and board for the students while they are quarantined or what sort of academic credit the students would get for the unfinished semester. SUNY and Cuomo also did not say where the students would be quarantined, although Cuomo spoke of “designated” SEE VIRUS PAGE 2

elIZabeth naPolItano | The SpecTrum provost a. scott WeBer Discusses uB’s coronavirus plans at a press

Chinese students, community members donate nearly $20,000 to hospitals in Hubei province SHUYI LI STAFF WRITER

Members of the UB Chinese community have raised $19,142 to send medical supplies to hospitals in Hubei province, China after a UB student began a donation program on Jan. 20.

Yuqi Pang, a senior marketing major and vice chairwoman of the Chinese Students and Scholars Association, started the program on Jan. 20 and joined Chinese students around the world by raising money to stock hospitals in Hubei province with

supplies. Pang’s efforts allowed UB Chinese students and local Chinese residents to raise $19,142 for hospitals in Hubei province.

Wuhan is the center of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, which now has 95,179 global cases, including 40,482 ongoing cases, 27,290 of which are confirmed ongoing in China and 3,254 people around the world confirmed dead as of March 4. Hospitals are running out of protective equipment for doctors and patients, including protective face shields and coveralls.

alexIs henG | The SpecTrum yuQi pang, a senior Marketing Major, raiseD $20,000 for tHe coviD-19 outBreak in WuHan.

Pang says she thinks a lot of students want to help but aren’t sure what to do or which organizations they can trust with their donations.

“The reason why I started this donation is because almost all Chinese students care about the situation in China and want to do something supportive, but some of them cannot find a credible way to donate,” Pang said. “Also, there are a lot of schools that have already started such activity. So, I started this donation to provide an authentic way for those who are SEE DONATIONS PAGE 2

conference

WeDnesDay.

Men’s basketball defeats Miami (OH) 75-69 Bulls win crucial final home game ANTHONY DECICCO ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

UB men’s basketball (19-11, 10-7 MAC) defeated Miami(OH) (12-18, 5-12 MAC) 75-69 at Alumni Arena on senior night Tuesday.

In honor of the occasion, head coach Jim Whitesell gave senior forward Gabe Grant the starting nod over sophomore forward Jeenathan Williams. Grant hit 2 3-pointers early in the game, proving he was worthy of the starting spot.

The Bulls had a strong showing in the first half, outplaying the RedHawks on both offense and defense. Grant and Willams led the way in the first half with 8 and 7 points, respectively. Senior guard Davonta Jordan also scored 7 points in a strong first-half showing.

UB had a 14-point lead at one point, dominating the pace of the game and the scoreboard. But late in the first half, Miami junior guard Milos Jovic and sophomore forward Josh Brewer led a comeback to keep the RedHawks in the game. Jovic and sophomore guard Isaiah Coleman-Lands both hit uncontested 3-pointers to bring Miami within 6 at the end of the first half.

Those 3-point baskets proved to be a turning point in the game as the second half produced a close game until the final whistle.

After grabbing just 4 rebounds in the first half, sophomore forward Josh Mballa grabbed 10 rebounds in the second half, solidifying UB’s interior defense while also extending possessions on offense.

While the close contest had the crowd on the edge of their seats, it also contained SEE BASKETBALL PAGE 8

NEWS

2 | Thursday, March 5 2020 VIRUS FROM PAGE 1

campus dormitories. New York currently has 11 confirmed cases of coronavirus, while Buffalo, as of Wednesday night, had none.

Through Tuesday and Wednesday, UB administrators sent out emails and held a press conference reassuring students, faculty and staff about preventative measures the university is taking regarding the coronavirus. Weber said UB has been discussing how the coronavirus would affect all on-campus operations since mid-January, when the university began “diligently” responding to the outbreak. Weber said UB has had “constant conversations” with Campus Living –– along with Campus Dining & Shops –– about what it would do if the coronavirus arrives on campus.

“We have some plans that are evolving through that process,” Weber said.

In a Tuesday email, UB President Satish Tripathi announced the creation of a UB coronavirus task force and advisory committee.

The task force is collaborating with the Erie County Department of Health on a plan for if the virus was to spread to campus. Tripathi also created five “working groups” headed by administrators and faculty “to ensure preparedness for any potential event in this evolving situation.”

Students have voiced concern that if the virus spreads to campus, the semester may be cut short, affecting midterms, finals and graduation. UB spokesperson John DellaContrada declined to comment on the hypothetical.

Weber said UB will determine how to handle class operations when necessary.

“We have a strong team right now that is developing a whole series of contingencies and guidelines for how to take every class and take it to an online environ-

ment,” Weber said. “We believe we have the technology to do it. We’re not planning to do that unless it’s necessary. We’ll work on a case-by-case basis.”

Susan Eilenberg, an English professor, said she would consider moving her classes online if the outbreak reaches Buffalo, which she feels isn’t “unreasonable.”

“I’ve held the occasional class online when, in earlier semesters, I myself have been ill. So it doesn’t seem to me like an altogether unreasonable thing to consider although I very much dislike having to do it,” Eilenberg said. “It is no substitute for face-to-face teaching.”

UB Athletics has also been monitoring the coronavirus and following the guidelines set by UB President Satish Tripathi and the NYS health department.

The department has “been in constant contact with the Mid-American Conference and NCAA and [is] monitoring the situation closely,” UB Assistant Athletic Director for Communications Jon Fullerwrote in an email. It currently does not plan on cancelling games.

In a press conference Wednesday, Weber insisted the university was working hard to keep campus safe. Weber encourages students to visit UB Health Services if they show symptoms of the virus, stay home if they feel sick and wash their hands. The university and state are, he said, “showing an abundance of caution.” *Student’s name has been changed to protect their identity Benjamin Blanchet, Alexandra Moyen, Reilly Mullen and Justin Weiss contributed reporting.

Email: news@ubspectrum.com

DONATIONS FROM PAGE 1

worried about people in China and want to make some effort.”

A lot of UB alumni and local Chinese residents also donated, according to Pang.

Huan Liang, an ‘09 alum, said he told more people about the donation program after learning of it.

“At first, I planned to buy some medical supplies online and send them to Wuhan by myself,” Liang said. “However, I could not find supplies which met the medical requirements. Then I recalled there are some UB Chinese student group chats and maybe I could ask them for help. When I saw this activity, I immediately donated.

Also, I tried my best to forward information of the donations to get more people to participate in it.”

In the first round of donations –– which began on Jan. 20 and ended on Jan. 30 –– the group collected roughly $17,150. They used the money to buy medical supplies, like surgical gloves, goggles and hand sanitizer and send them to 8 hospitals in China.

“The money is not a lot, but most of it is from students,” Pang said. “The coronavirus is not only in China and it is a difficulty that the world should overcome together.”

The first round of donations ended because the group had a hard time finding medical supplies, according to Pang. Pang said some websites and companies raised prices because of scarcity, sold products in private or sold out on their websites. When she contacted these companies, the sellers said it would take a long time to restock items and even canceled some orders they had already made, Pang said.

Almost all flights out of China and all flights to and from Wuhan have been cancelled, which has impacted the delivery of supplies. Although the supplies are now

ubspectrum.com on their way, Pang said an estimated time for delivery is not clear.

Ruoyang Zhao, a ‘12 alum, lives in China and volunteers for the donation program by delivering the packages that are sent from around the world to hospitals.

“Actually, at first, I was not sure whether the donation and the people were reliable,” Zhao said. “However, after seeing the information released in the group chat for the donations –– the supplies delivered to the hospitals in Wuhan directly –– I know they are trustable. So, I donated and joined the volunteers’ group and started helping them to contact the hospital.”

Zhao said efficiency is important in getting the supplies to the hospitals.

“Our volunteer group decided to communicate with the hospitals about the needs of supplies first, then skip the third party and find the way to send supplies to the hospitals directly to make it more efficient,” Zhao said.

The second round of donations began Feb. 17 and ended on Feb. 18, since the group found a distributor for 3 million 1860 face masks. The total amount of money collected in the second donation was $1,997.50. Pang says she anticipates a third round of donations if the group finds additional distributors for medical supplies.

Email: news@ubspectrum.com

‘A huge step in the right direction:’ Students react to Weinstein’s guilty verdict Former UB student found guilty of two counts of rape, students say there is more work to be done CHLOE FERNEY STAFF WRITER

Emma Valvo opened her phone Monday morning to an overwhelming feeling of relief.

The social work master’s student had just found out Harvey Weinstein was convicted of third-degree rape and firstdegree criminal sexual act.

Students like Valvo believe Weinstein’s guilty verdict is setting the tone for future sexual assault cases and opening up the conversation for survivors to come forward. They are hopeful that people will stop “victim-blaming” and hold perpetrators accountable.

The New York County District Attorney’s Office originally charged the ex-Hollywood producer and former UB student with five crimes including one count of first-degree criminal sexual act, two counts of rape and two counts of predatory sexual assault. Weinstein was acquitted of the more serious charges, predatory sexual assault, which carried a prison sentence of 10 years to life. He was convicted of third-degree rape, carrying a sentence of up to four years, and one count first-degree criminal sexual act, a sentence of 5-25 years. Weinstein’s sentencing is scheduled for Wednesday, March 11.

“I was relieved for the victims, and a little surprised that they were actually getting some type of justice, which many victims often never get even after a grueling trial,” Valvo said.

The charges were based on testimonies from Miriam Haley and Jessica Mann. Haley testified that in 2006, Weinstein forced oral sex on her and Mann testified that in 2013, Weinstein raped her during what she considered an “abusive relationship.”

Students feel the case will be a major turning point for the #MeToo movement.

Dayna Boone, a senior biological sciences major and member of the Student Survivor Advocacy Alliance –– a peer-run

group that unites sexual assault survivors with allies in order to take a stand against sexual violence –– said Weinstein being held accountable sends a “very powerful message.”

“This rich and powerful man who was, for so long, getting away with this is finally being held responsible for his actions, [proving] these crimes have serious consequences, and that survivors are being believed,” Boone said. “This is an amazing start to create a shift in culture change to hold perpetrators accountable and to believe survivors.”

While Boone was feeling hopeful, Valvo was glad the jury listened to, and believed, the survivors.

“I think that we often forget about the

victims in these cases and start focusing too much on the trial and the media hype cases like these get,” Valvo said.

Aaron Maracle, the SSAA advisor, first found out about Weinstein’s guilty verdict after checking CNN. “Knowing how rarely cases of rape and sexual assault actually end up in court and then seeing a guilty verdict was good to see,” Maracle said.

Valvo believes the verdict may give other survivors the confidence to speak up about their own stories.

“We still live in a victim-blaming society, that is, a society in which we hold victims accountable for their assaults instead of perpetrators,” Valvo said. “I would hope that with this verdict we start seeing a shift

Illustration by Sarah Chamberlin Harvey Weinstein leaving court with his lawyer, Donna Rotunno.

in this ideal and start seeing a more understanding and supportive culture around reporting and speaking about sexual violence.”

Similarly, Boone is hopeful, but knows there is a lot more work to be done, especially after seeing Weinstein’s more serious charges dropped.

“I don’t think it’s fair that he was acquitted to other, more major crimes such as predatory sexual assault,” Boone said. “It’s far too often you see rich, successful white men get lesser charges or let off crimes such as this, and although this verdict is a huge step in the right direction, there is so much work still to be done.”

Email: news@ubspectrum.com

OPINION

ubspectrum.com

Thursday, March 5 2020 | 3

Freedom to feel beautiful How I escaped the chains of a negative body image

ISABELLA FORTUNATO ASST. ARTS EDITOR

*This column contains sensitive material about disordered eating which could be triggering.

I was kept prisoner by a three-digit number for years.

Every morning, the first thing I would do when I got out of bed was step on the scale and allow whatever arbitrary number appeared to dictate my day.

It would tell me when I could eat, who I could hang out with and even when I could sleep.

I wasn’t free to enjoy my dinner.

I wasn’t free to look at myself in the mirror.

I wasn’t free to feel beautiful.

When I was little, I never thought about how much I weighed or what my body looked like in comparison to my peers. But as I started my first year in high school, something in me changed.

I started to believe I wasn’t beautiful.

Images and ads of unattainable bodies suddenly appeared in my social media feeds and for the first time in my life I started to pick up on the subliminal message that hid behind the fake smiles of models and superstars I had always aimed to be.

I saw someone pointing a touched-up finger at my 15-year-old self everywhere I looked telling me I would never be thin enough, pretty enough or good enough.

After a while, I began to believe what I was told. And I wasn’t alone.

Many of my closest friends have also struggled with some form of body dysmorphia in the past. Even today they still deal with the lasting effects these stresses had on both their confidence and mental well-being.

Roughly 70% of teenage girls between the ages of 15 and 17 reported avoiding their daily activities when they feel bad about their looks and attributed their inadequacy to being unable to achieve the “ideal body” they see in the media, according to a 2014 study by Dove.

This is unacceptable.

We are doing something seriously wrong as a society and I believe it all comes back to the media’s portrayal of beauty.

The typical model portrayed in an advertisement today weighs 23% less than the average woman and usually has bodytype that is only shared with 5% of women in the U.S., according to a survey from AdMedia.

Having healthy, thin models in ads is completely fine but for the sake of the next generation of women, we need to start producing media and images that promote a range of bodies.

Our society has created an unachievable standard of perfection that we spoon feed to ourselves through advertisements and media. This only serves to pen young women into inescapable self-doubt and dissatisfaction that follow them into their adult life.

Looking back, I can’t help but be angry with myself over how much time I spent locked up by an insignificant number when I could have been experiencing my childhood.

It’s impossible for me to get back the years that I lost while trapped underneath this social pressure, but over the last couple of months, I’ve started to think differently.

Right now, I have absolutely no idea how much I weigh.

I haven’t stepped on a scale in over six weeks and I don’t intend to turn back.

I still have a long way to go before I can consider myself body-positive. Honestly, I don’t know if I’ll ever be there, but as I start to make a more conscious choice to try and see the good in my physical appearance, I can feel my confidence slowly starting to return to its former glory.

My beauty isn’t lessened by the appearance of another and it can’t be defined by three digits on a scale.

I’m done letting society’s unrealistic concept of perfection be my prison guard, and through my emancipation, I’ve finally gained the freedom to feel beautiful.

Email: opinions@ubspectrum.com

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THURSDAY MARCH 5, 2020 VOLUME 69 NUMBER 37 CIRCULATION: 3,000

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PROFESSIONAL STAFF

MANAGING EDITORS

ARTS EDITORS

OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR Helene Polley

Jacklyn Walters Lauryn King, Asst.

ADVERTISING MANAGER Nathan Stutz

NEWS EDITORS

Alex Whetham, Sr. Isabella Fortunato, Asst.

Anastasia Wilds, Asst.

Justin Woodmancy, Asst.

GRAPHIC DESIGN MANAGER Nicholas Meurer

Alexandra Moyen, Sr. Julian Roberts-Grmela, Sr. Reilly Mullen Elizabeth Napolitano, Asst.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Brenton J. Blanchet WEB EDITORS

OPINION EDITORS Samantha Vargas, Sr.

Savanna Caldwell, Chief Cassiana Enderle, Chief

ENGAGEMENT EDITORS

CREATIVE DIRECTORS

Benjamin Blanchet Nicole Waddington, Asst.

Paolo Blanchi, Sr. Jiayi Zhang, Asst.

MULTIMEDIA EDITORS Vindhya Burugupalli, Sr. Wayne Penales, Sr. Alexander Brown, Asst.

Alexis Heng, Asst.

SPORTS EDITORS Justin Weiss, Sr. Anthony DeCicco, Asst.

FEATURES

4 | Thursday, March 5 2020

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Biden takes lead after ‘Super Tuesday,’ Sanders supporters say they need to ‘fight harder’ JULIAN ROBERTS-GRMELA SENIOR NEWS EDITOR

Students followed along on “Super Tuesday” as Vice President Joe Biden regained the front-runner position in the 2020 Democratic primary Biden earned the most delegates so far in the Democratic primary after his successful “Super Tuesday” –– when the most states, 14 this year, hold primary elections and caucuses and nearly one-third of delegates are up for grabs –– with 566, as of Wednesday night. Biden’s success left Senator Bernie Sanders, the former front runner, in second place with 501. The democratic field has narrowed since last week, and students have a smaller pool of candidates to choose from: Biden, Sanders and Senator Elizabeth Warren. Prior to “Super Tuesday,” Pete Buttigieg and Senator Amy Klobuchar dropped out of the race and endorsed Biden, and Mike Bloomberg did the same Wednesday. Warren has not won a state yet, including her home state of Massachusetts, which she lost to Biden, and has won 61 delegates so far.

UB College Democrats doesn’t endorse any candidates but members “overwhelm-

ingly” support Sanders, according to club president and sophomore psychology and political science major Brandon Hoolihan. Some members still say they support Biden and that they feel he is more likely to beat President Donald Trump in the presidential race, but Sanders supporters say the race is not over and unity around Biden means they have to “fight harder” to win the democratic nomination. The New York State primary election will take place on April 28 and there are 274 democratic delegates up for grabs.

Andrew Komula, vice president of UB College Democrats and a junior political science major, said the primary race between Biden and Sanders is “representative” of a “dialogue” within the Democratic Party, but that the two candidates’ goals aren’t “completely” different.

“I think really it’s representative of an internal, institutional dialogue between the democrats who are very progressive and those who are willing to proceed more cautiously toward liberal policies,” Komula said. “At the end of the day, they’re both running as democrats and so their goals can’t be completely –– and I emphasize completely –– different.”

Savannah Chadwick, a freshman political science and economics major and a member of UB College Democrats, supports Biden over Sanders because she is “worried” about Sanders’ policies and thinks he could lose in the general election.

“I think that healthcare for all and free college are

The SpecTrum arChIves 2020 presiDential canDiDate Bernie sanDers speaks to His supporters During His “a future to Believe in” rally in aluMni arena in 2016

Major: Nursing Year: Senior “We’ve spent so much time being students and I think there’s some people who have a fear of going out into their field and not being a student anymore. I’m really looking forward to having my career that I’ve wanted for so long and to just be independent and no longer forced to study or hand in assignments. Just having my day-to-day job, going home and relaxing is something I’m really, really looking forward to.”

Grace Tranes

amazing ideas, but I am not quite sure they are practical,” Chadwick said. “I am just unsure about where Bernie plans to get the money to do his plan when you add in the fact that we are [$23 trillion] in debt.”

Sam Nelson, treasurer for both UB College Democrats and Young Democratic Socialists of America and a sophomore biochemistry major, supports Sanders and said Sanders’ policies don’t go “too far.”

“The other, more moderate candidates say that his policies go too far, but people in this country are dying due to lack of healthcare, struggling in debt and our planet is in danger as well,” Nelson said.

“We need these aggressive reforms now before things get worse.”

Hector Chaidez Ruacho, Campus Corps Leader for Students for Bernie and a master’s social work student, said “Super Tuesday” was not a bad day for the Sanders Campaign, “as many people in the media paint it out to be.” “[Biden’s success on ‘Super Tuesday’] means we have to fight harder, canvass more, phone bank more, organize more,” Ruacho said. “… People often forget that a few months ago when Bernie had his

health situation, everyone assumed the campaign was over. The resilience of the political revolution movement is real. We know this is not going to be an easy fight, but we are ready to continue fighting for what we believe.”

Hayden Gise, chairperson of SA’s board of directors and a junior political science major, is a Sanders supporter and said young people will be “energized” to vote for Sanders in the primaries because “the stakes are too high.” “[‘Super Tuesday’] was a two-way race and we never got to frame it that way,” Gise said. “I think when people continue organizing in the next states, voters and especially young people will be energized to vote for Bernie. The stakes are too high and no one wants to vote for Joe Biden.”

Ruacho said Sanders gives him hope for future generations.

“As a Mexican-American immigrant, I know the ‘American Dream’ is not made for me, but Bernie gives me hope that one day it will become a reality for future generations.”

Email: julian.grmela@ubspectrum.com Twitter: @GrmelaJulian

Wayne Penales |The SpecTrum 2020 presiDential canDiDate joe BiDen at tHe DistinguisHeD speakers series in 2018.

Major: Electrical Engineering Year: Senior “When I was [in my early teens], I was really depressed. Especially the first couple of years, I felt like nothing was ever going to get better. One thing that I would tell myself back then is that everything’s gonna be okay. ‘One day you’re going to be really happy that you’re alive and you’re gonna be happy every day.’ My dad told me that when I was going through that, even he thought that I wasn’t going to get better.

That’s how bad it was. But, now, I would be really pissed off if I had to die for some

reason. Because even when things are going badly, I actually learned a lot going to therapy. I [took] a step back and looked at the big picture. I’ve built my life back up, and I see value in myself. I’m so passionate about what I’m studying. A lot of my goals in the future have to do with my career. I really want to become an expert in what I’m doing and feel confident in it and be part of something cool. If I succeed, it will be so fulfilling and I know that I’m going to be doing something that I love. ”

Serena LaFave

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FEATURES

The sexiest bakery in Buffalo Mundy Cakes on Allen Street sells crude cookies, tasty pastries JUSTIN WOODMANCY ASST. ARTS EDITOR

Amanda Bernardini enjoyed baking sugar cookies with her mother and grandmother as a young girl in Rochester.

Now she bakes and sells penis-shaped and lingerie-clad ass cookies at Mundy Cakes, her bakery on Allen Street in Buffalo. Since opening Mundy Cakes in the summer of 2018, she has stayed unabashedly true to her no-filter business model –– a model she certainly adopted since her youth.

“I think what’s important in business is being completely yourself. I think that’s how you’re successful,” Bernardini said.

“Hell yeah, we sell the sexiest baked goods in all of Western New York.”

The 30-year-old Canisius grad didn’t always plan on making a living selling baked goods. Before Mundy Cakes, Bernardini was a full-time mortgage loan processor, baking extravagantly, and sometimes inappropriately, decorated sugar cookies out of her home as a hobby. She would post them on her Instagram, and when her trendy products started gaining traction online, she realized she could cash in on her talents. But the idea of opening a storefront in Buffalo was just a “pipe dream,” according to Bernardini.

Until it wasn’t.

She remembers in the early summer of 2018 when her friend told her about a bakery on Allen Street that had just been listed for rent. Bernardini was already toying with the idea of buying a storefront and her social media presence was at an all-time high.

In her own words, “the stars aligned.”

“So it was really the space that came up

Justin Woodmancy | The Spectrum Mundy Cakes owner Amanda Bernardini poses with cookies inside Mundy Cakes on Allen Street.

Found through fashion Grad student reconditions thrifted clothing, expresses self-discovery through work ISABELLA FORTUNATO ASST. ARTS EDITOR

Julia Erbacher was always sure that she wanted to attend the Fashion Institute of Technology.

But her college journey didn’t go as she expected. After starting at Niagara County College Community College, changing her major three times and finally deciding to study Spanish education at UB, she still couldn’t shake her vigor for vogue.

Within the last year, Erbacher rekindled her flame for fashion and created her own “upcycled” clothing business, Fruitcake

Courtesy of Julia Erbacher Leather jacket recreated using paint and bleach

Apparel. Erbacher buys outdated clothing at local thrift shops and revamps it using paint, bleach and sewing kits to create Instagram-worthy pieces (@fruitcakeappareal) and give her customers the option of customization.

Her creations aren’t just for likes, though. She sells pieces that highlight how she broke out of her comfort zone creatively and embraced the chichi chick she is today. She makes work that she hopes combats the quick, dispensable nature of the clothing industry today often defined as “fast fashion.”

“I went through a period where I was buying, and I was contributing to fast fashion,” Erbacher said. “I was spending way too much money in general but then I just like wasn’t happy with my purchases, like they didn’t mean anything.”

But Erbacher wasn’t always so driven or directed in her snappy social ambitions. When exploring classes at NCCC she found her love for language and attributes her elegant elevation to the time she spent taking time to figure out who she was.

“It’s a really good foundation to just take classes that interest you,” Erbacher said.

“Developing experiences and just learning about what your interests are and when your interests change, that’s a good thing.”

Through an NCCC study abroad program, Erbacher had her first opportunity to travel to Peru. While abroad, she finally saw the connection between her personal and professional lives by experiencing the swish styles of worldwide fashion.

In the various foreign countries she traveled to since, namely Italy and Spain, Erbacher was ex-

that made me think ‘Oh my god, this actually might be possible,’” Bernardini said.

“So I was like, ‘I have to jump on this.’”

Bernardini renovated her newly acquired storefront to reflect her eccentric personality. The outside bricks of Mundy Cakes are hot pink with steps that read “Touch my buns,” “Feed me cake,” and “Call me sugar.” Inside, the sexually suggestive and playful themes continue with a pink neon sign on the wall that reads “Eat it,” and flirty cookies for sale that say things like “I like ur butt,” and “Eat my ass.”

No other bakery in the area sells snacks this sultry.

Those bakeries aren’t as brave as Mundy Cakes.

“Most people don’t really want to put an ass out there in fear of offending people,” Bernardini said. “But you could put inappropriate sayings on anything and sell it, really.”

Inevitably, some patrons have been upset

by Mundy Cakes’ more unique products. But for Bernardini, this was to be expected.You’ve got to break a few eggs to make head-turning sugar cookies. “[Offending customers] doesn’t happen as much as you would think because most people are pretty chill about it,” Bernardini said. “But it’s definitely happened before where a couple times someone has made a comment. And I mean, there’s really nothing I can do about it. But most people just laugh it off.”

When children come into the store around Valentine’s Day –– when Mundy Cakes produces its most lewd products –– Bernardini tells them that the penis cookies are rocket ships.

Elders aren’t as easily fooled,

Thursday, March 5 2020 | 5 however. Sometimes a grandma will walk in expecting to buy goods from an ordinary bakery, but leave empty-handed and shocked by Mundy Cakes’ more unsavory selections.

Mundy Cakes is not all boobs, butts and bollocks, though. Most of the business comes from custom orders of cakes and cupcakes for weddings, baby showers, birthdays and bridal showers.

A store that sells overtly sexual products like Mundy Cakes isn’t traditionally considered wholesome or family-centric. But Mundy Cakes couldn’t be more focused on family, with many members of the Bernardini clan lending helping hands.

“Our grandma, aunts, cousins, mom and dad all rotate to help whenever needed,” said Heather Bernardini, Amanda Bernardini’s sister. “We all do our fair share, especially my mom who splits most of her time between Buffalo and Rochester.”

Amanda and Heather’s mother, Carol Bernardini, helps out at Mundy Cakes the most and is one of the main reasons it exists today.

“At first I was having an issue with some of her stuff, the X-rated stuff,” Carol said.

“But it’s her brand and I’m proud of her.

But sometimes it’s a little awkward when someone asks for those cookies and I’m the only one there.”

Carol never expected her daughter to take her innocent childhood hobby this far.

“I’m so proud because of how unique [Mundy Cakes] is,” Carol said. “It’s amazing to see her develop and grow. ” Everyday with Mundy Cakes is a dream come true for Bernardini. She is living her passion through her business and is content with what the future holds. “[Opening a store] was always a dream of mine that I didn’t really think would ever happen,” Bernardini said. “Regardless of what happens in the long term, just the fact that I did it. I’m really proud of that.”

Email: justin.woodmancy@ubspectrum.com Twitter: @TheHandsomeLake_______

posed to trends different from what she is Mirablella said. “[Erbacher] uses Fruitcake used to in the U.S. Apparel as a medium for expression as she “I was developing my sense of style, hand-paints and stitches designs to make which I’ve always had an interest in. each piece of clothing unique.”

Through my travels and then coming back Erbacher is constantly trying to evolve home, I was looking at clothes differently,” herself and her work and hopes to inErbacher said. “I started thrifting more spire others to explore their swanky side and just making more conscious decisions through their own journey of self-expresabout what I was buying and why I was sion. buying it.”

“The clothing that I sell now is just Erbacher’s experiences abroad reopened breathing new life into these pieces that her connection to personal expression somebody else did that may be perceived that had been a part of her since she was as trash,” Erbacher said. “Anything can be a teenager. She began to see that her life upcycled, and you don’t have to be artistic could be more than just one thing or the to create. I think we should just be creating other and that the clothing she started to without the goal of having it look beauticreate reflects her own ritzy revitalization. ful.”

“When we’re younger we have an idea isabella.fortunato@ubspectrum.com what we want to be when we grow up or Email: Twitter: @im_fortunato what we want to go to school for, but then over the years we change direction a lot,” Erbacher said. “I think if something is like calling to you, and it’s like an itch that you can’t stop scratching or something that you can’t get out of your head, then something’s telling you to pursue it.”

Jason Woodfork, Erbacher’s close friend, witnessed both Erbacher’s posh personal development and the impact her expansion had on those around her.

“With her talents, turning old clothing into something new, creative and stylish gives you not only a new look but also gives you the feel that you’ve done something to help cut back on this issue at hand [fast fashion].”

Erbacher met fellow designer Michele Mirabella at a local art market. Now good friends, they share their ideas and inspirations while building up the Buffalo art scene.

“There’s always something of Julia Erbacher new to discuss when we get CJourtesy ulia Erbacher models some of early upcycling creations together to chat over tea.”

6 | Thursday, March 5 2020

SPORTS

ubspectrum.com

Men’s Basketball Senior Night 2020

alexander broWn | The SpecTrum (aBove) HeaD coacH jiM WHitesell presenting senior gaBe grant His fraMeD jersey. (left) senior gaBe grant pictureD WitH His faMily anD HeaD coacH jiM WHitesell During a pregaMe senior nigHt cereMony.

(BeloW) senior antWain joHnson pictureD WitH His faMily anD HeaD coacH jiM WHitesell During tHe cereMony.

(aBove) forMer Buffalo Bills Hall-of-faMe QuarterBack jiM kelly in attenDance at tHe uB Men’s BasketBall gaMe. (rigHt) senior Davonta jorDan

pictureD WitH His faMily During a pregaMe senior

nigHt cereMony Honoring seniors on tHe Men’s BasketBall teaM.

(BeloW) HeaD coacH jiM WHitesell presenting senior antWain joHnson His fraMeD jersey.

(BeloW) pictureD froM left to rigHt: giaMBattista Davis, gaBe grant, patrick Moore, Davonta jorDan, antWain joHnson receiving tHere fraMeD senior nigHt jerseys.

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8 | Thursday, March 5 2020

ubspectrum.com

Humble, yet confident: Dyaisha Fair champions her turn in the spotlight Freshman phenom shines for young Bulls ALEX LENNEBERG STAFF WRITER

A

s a high school freshman, Dyaisha Fair made her coaches a promise: She was going to be the best player they had ever seen.

But she wasn’t being arrogant. She was simply stating the truth.

Fair now looks back knowing she kept that promise. In her four seasons at Edison Tech, she elevated the school’s women’s basketball program. By her senior year, she was the Inventors’ captain and led them to an 18-4 record as the AllGreater Rochester Player of the Year. And it’s no different at UB, where Fair shines as the sixth-leading scorer in the nation at 21 points per game.

“It’s really a shocker,” Fair said of this accomplishment. “I just try not to pay attention and keep my head down and take

Andrew Palmer | The Spectrum Freshman Guard Dyaisha Fair goes in for a shot night in the Alumni Arena.

(Above) Siddharth Bandhu | The Spectrum Freshman guard Dyaisha Fair leads the charge. Fair scored 14 points against Akron at Alumni Arena on Wednesday.

it day-by-day.”

But the number on the board isn’t Fair’s priority.

It’s the number on her chest that matters.

In 2002, Fair’s grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer. And after two years, she beat it. She selected the number 2 to pay homage to her hero.

As Fair got older, her grandmother pushed her to branch out into more activities. But Fair knew basketball was her passion. From the age of five, Fair would watch her uncles play hoop in the backyard and knew she loved the game. Although her grandmother would try to get her to go to dance class, Fair’s goals were

during the game against the

BASKETBALL FROM PAGE 1

a scary moment when Jordan went down with an injury. All 3,252 viewers in Alumni Arena went silent as Jordan was helped off the floor by his teammates. Thankfully, Jordan returned to the game later in the second half.

Junior guard Jayvon Graves stepped up in response to Jordan’s departure. Graves scored 13 points in the second half, including multiple big shots in the game’s most crucial moments.

“I know we need to execute toward the end, we knew they would battle back,” Graves said after the game. “I just want to step up for our team.”

Graves finished the contest with a gamehigh 15 points while also bringing down 9 rebounds.

After multiple big defensive stands at the end of the game, the Bulls handled their business at the free-throw line to secure the victory.

Jordan reflected on his time at UB after the game, having played all four years of his collegiate career in Buffalo.

Akron, Zips Wednesday

different.

But basketball wasn’t always an obvious choice — at 5’5”, she is the secondshortest player on the team, ahead of only junior guard Hanna Hall, at 5’3”.

But like everything else in her life, Fair has approached her lack of size with a can-do attitude. She has been described by the people around her as having a little pitbull mentality: She knows she has to be better because she is smaller.

Legette-Jack saw that from the moment Fair stepped onto UB’s campus.

“She came to my camp. She was playing pick up and I thought ‘Wow, she’s pretty special, let me see how special she is.’ We started playing two-on-two pick up… her twitch was so fast, I’ve never seen anything like it,” Legette-Jack said. “This is a local kid that we have to keep. We stuck with her for a few years and she decided this was the place for her.”

In high school, Fair received offers from major programs like Syracuse and UConn, but she knew UB was the place for her as soon as she stepped foot on campus.

“When I came on my official visit with my brother and my mom, it just felt as if we were here before,” Fair said. “I had some offers from some other major programs, but I ended up choosing UB because of the way that I felt.”

Coming to UB gave Fair another opportunity to be a leader. Unlike in larger programs, where she would have been overshadowed by bigger recruits, Fair has been forced into taking on a leadership role at UB.

Not only is Fair the sixth-leading scorer in the country, she is also a fierce rebounder, averaging 5.6 boards per game.

“We’re the youngest team in the country, and she’s the one that’s been doing it all,” head coach Felisha Legette-Jack said. “It’s a lot on her, but through the fire I think we’ll find clarity and she’s going to become very special.”

Legette-Jack is impressed with how Fair has played, but she worries that her offensive numbers are the result of her being forced to lead the team in scoring every night.

“We need her to score 22 points pergame, in order to have a chance,” LegetteJack said last week. “In order for us to even have a chance she has to play 35 minutes and put the ball in the hole for us.”

Just as Legette-Jack has looked to Fair to provide scoring, Fair has looked to Legette-Jack for mentorship both on and off the court.

“Of course we have our ups and our downs along the way, but she’s a phenomenal woman,” Fair said. “She [is] the best coach I’ve ever had and I admire her for not just what she’s done on the court but off the court too.”

Legette-Jack isn’t surprised with Fair’s dominance this season.

“When you’re dealing with top 10 teams, they have a balanced attack. Everyone was an All-American, the best player in their state, and their equality is great,” LegetteJack said. “She means a lot to this team.”

Email: sports@ubspectrum.com

“The teams [have] been great, the coaches have been great, the fans [have] been great,” Jordan said. “I wouldn’t want to be nowhere else but here.”

Spending so much time with Jordan throughout the years, Whitesell wanted to make it clear how much he means to the team.

“Davonta is the heart, he’s the blue collar you see out there,” Whitesell said. “He wears it on the sleeve and he gives you everything he’s got day in, day out.”

The victory keeps the Bulls in contention for a first-round bye in the MAC tournament in Cleveland. The Bulls are currently tied in the standings with Ball State, and must defeat Bowling Green Friday night for a chance at a first-round bye.

Finess Dickson contributed reporting.

Email: Anthony.DeCicco@ubspectrum.com

Alexander Brown | The Spectrum Senior guard Davonta Jordan drivesv to the basket for 2 of his 11 points.